'Selectors making way for Shreyas Iyer by slotting Samson at No. 5' - Ex-Selector's bold remark on India's batting unit

Former Indian selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth has suggested that by pushing Sanju Samson down to number five, India may be paving the way to accommodate Shreyas Iyer in the playing XI. Samson’s returns in the middle order have not been as impressive, he has scored 62 runs at an average of 20.62 while batting at number five. This marks a dip compared to his record as an opener, where he has amassed 522 runs from 11 innings at an average of 32.62, including three centuries.

In the Asia Cup 2025 opener against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on September 10, Samson was included in India’s playing XI but did not get a chance to bat. The wicketkeeper-batter was also not asked to open, as vice-captain Shubman Gill partnered with Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order.

“I somehow feel by making Sanju bat at 5, they are making way for Shreyas Iyer to return to the side. Sanju hasn’t batted much at 5 and he shouldn’t bat at that position either. It will dent his confidence batting at No. 5. I am not too happy for him. To Sanju, I would warn him by saying that this is his last chance. I would also tell him if he fails to score in the next two or three innings at this position, Shreyas Iyer will replace him,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

“They are playing Sanju Samson in the middle-order. Are they going to use him as the finisher? No. That’ll be Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube. So, Samson will play at 5. Will he deliver? That’s a question mark. You’ve accommodated Sanju Samson ahead of Jitesh Sharma. It is fine for this Asia Cup but what will happen in the T20 World Cup?” he added.

No chance of winning the T20 World Cup: Srikkanth

The Men in Blue will aim to defend their T20 World Cup crown next year, with the marquee event set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Before that, however, the team has the chance to assess its strengths and address its weaknesses in the ongoing Asia Cup in the UAE. The Madras-born (now Chennai) opined that while this group of players might have the quality to win the Asia Cup, they may fall short when it comes to the bigger challenge of defending the T20 World Cup title.

“We might win the Asia Cup with this team, but there is no chance of winning the T20 World Cup with this bunch. Are you going to take this team to the World Cup? Is this the preparation for the T20 World Cup, which is hardly six months away?” Srikkanth said.

“They have gone backwards. Axar Patel has been axed from vice-captaincy. I don’t know how Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Harshit Rana have come in. IPL is considered the main criterion for selection, but the selectors seem to have considered performances before that,” he added.